I love eating outdoors as soon as the weather calls for it. A great outdoor meal to me doesn’t always have to incorporate cooking outside (ie grilling) but, it does need to be simple and easy to transport outdoors. The below outdoor meal entree is not just INCREDIBLY simple to make and holds up to my outdoor meal criteria, but also was extremely affordable to make.

When Grocery Outlet sent me a gift card to try out some of their deals, I went in with no idea what kind of meal I was going to make. But, after just a few minutes perusing the aisles and checking out their ad I had a plan in place. I picked up all of my ingredients in one trip to Grocery Outlet and had the meal on the table in thirty minutes after getting home. Today I’m sharing the main course item that took about 10 minutes from start to finish. This entree would be perfect for an easy weeknight meal alfresco!

1 package of stuffed ravioli from the freezer or refrigerator section of your local grocery store (Get whatever stuffing sounds good to you. I found a spinach and chicken stuffed ravioli that was delicious!)

1/3 of a bag of pre-washed baby spinach from the produce section of your local grocery store

3 Roma Tomatoes (or any ripe tomato will do) sliced into thin wedges

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Basil Garlic Pesto (I used Rising Sun Farms Pesto)

Shredded Parmesan Cheese, Salt & Pepper to Taste

Instructions

Boil water and cook stuffed ravioli according to package directions.

While ravioli is cooking, heat olive oil and pesto in a sauté pan on Medium heat.

Sautée tomatoes in the olive oil and pesto mixture for approximately two minutes, until tomatoes are just a little soft.

As pasta is finishing cooking, save back 1 cup of pasta water and then drain pasta.

Add cooked pasta into sauté pan with tomatoes, pesto and olive oil. Add in the cup of pasta water and spinach.

Mix the items in the pan and cook until spinach is just wilted.

Can be served hot, room temp or chilled! Top with parmesan cheese, a little bit of salt, and a few turns of freshly ground pepper.

This post was created in collaboration with Grocery Outlet. All opinions are my own. Thank you for reading and sharing posts that are created in partnership with brands that help support this blog.Grocery Outlet operates 210+ stores in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.Visit the Grocery Outlet website to find a store near you and sign up for notifications when their new ad comes out!

The Summer holidays are coming around quick (Memorial Day is this upcoming Monday!) and with that comes the opportunity to spend time with the people in your life celebrating, remembering, and just enjoying each others company. It likely will also bring together a lot of hungry people! Enter Chex Party Mix… Chex Party Mix is super versatile and can feed a crowd. I came up with a couple easy recipes for an “All-American Chex Mix” flavors in honor of Memorial Day and Fourth of July. Though, they’d also work for any get together or even as a great camping snack.

I chose Buffalo flavor as one of my “All-American” flavors just because it reminds me of Summers back home in Oklahoma. I’m a huge fan of Buffalo Chicken Wings—especially during grilling season! Check out my first “All-American” Chex Party Mix recipe below and don’t forget to enter to win a $50 Visa Gift Card from Chex!

I really wanted an easy, "All-American" feeling Chex Party Mix to feed a crowd. Because I didn't want to overwhelm everyone with spice, I only used the Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce as a spice. However, if you want to kick it up a notch then you could also mix in a packet of Zesty Ranch Seasoning or a tablespoon of cayenne pepper. I used the oven for this recipe because I enjoy how the roasted cereal tastes. Microwave instructions for Chex Party Mix can be found on the side of your Chex cereal box.

Ingredients

3 Cups Wheat Chex

3 Cups Corn Chex

3 Cups Rice Chex

2 Cups Roasted, Shelled & Non-Salted Peanuts

2 Cups Pretzels

2 Cups Cheez-It Crackers (I used original, but white cheddar or a spicy version would also be delish!)

6 Tablespoons of Butter Melted

4 Tablespoons of Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix the Chex cereals, peanuts and pretzels in a large bowl. Leave out the Cheez-It crackers for the time being.

In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter with the Franks Red Hot Buffalo Sauce.

Slowly pour the Buffalo Sauce & Butter mixture over the cereal mixture, stirring as you go to make sure that everything is well coated.

Pour out the cereal mixture on to a baking sheet. Make sure the cereal mixture is out flat and not piled up on itself. I had to use two baking sheets.

Roast the mixture at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour, stirring the mixture every 15 minutes.

Once out of the oven, mix in the Cheez-It crackers and package in an airtight container.

Chex.com has a great site full of even more delicious Chex Party Mix recipes along with a bunch of other recipes that can be made using Chex! I’m also not the first person to come up with a Buffalo Chex Mix recipe… there are a ton of great ones out there. Mine is a fairly mild version that only gives you a little taste of that yummy buffalo sauce. Don’t forget to check back again soon for my other “All-American” Chex Party Mix recipe!

The fine people at Chex are giving away a $50 American Express Gift Card so that one lucky reader can go buy as much Chex Mix ingredients as they could need for future snacking needs! Winner must be in the United States. Please read the giveaway terms and conditions for more information.

The warmer days of Spring are here and Summer is just around the corner. For me this means that it is time to bring dinner OUTDOORS! Spring and Summer holidays and special occasions (Mother’s Day is Sunday!) are the perfect opportunity to bring a meal outdoors. The change of scenery can help make any meal feel like a special meal. But, not every meal makes for a great outdoor meal. You’ll want a meal that can hold up to the weather, be easy to serve and not too complicated to pack up and bring to wherever you are having your outdoor meal. When Grocery Outlet asked if I wanted to work with them on a post I immediately thought of all the fun outdoor items that they get this time of year, and wanted to throw a little outdoor party in honor of Mother’s Day. Below are some of my tips for creating a great outdoor meal. Check in tomorrow for a few recipes that anyone can make that are great for an outdoor meal!

What makes a great outdoor meal?

I think that there are a few factors that make for an outdoor meal, including simplicity. Part of eating outdoors should be that the whole meal has a more relaxed feel to it. Even if you are going super fancy and formal, the meal itself can be made simple and easy to eat while still being elegant. Last year I went to a wonderful outdoor farm to table meal that completely hit all my favorite notes of an outdoor meal! Here are my tips for what makes a great outdoor meal:

1. Keep it Simple – The meal does not need to be complicated nor have a lot of steps. The perfect outdoor meal can either be cooked outdoors, or packed up and easy carried outdoors. When planning an outdoor meal you’ll want to keep your ingredient list down (at least the items that are going to the table, if you want to prep a complicated many ingredient meal at home that still carries nicely and is easy to serve then by all means, go for it!), keep the garnishes to a minimum and let the meal really be the centerpiece of the experience.

2. Make sure it holds up to the weather- Besides food safety, considering the weather is important for the overall meal experience. If the meal you are serving really tastes best piping hot then you’ll need to figure out a way to cook or at least reheat outdoors so that the wind doesn’t take down the temp. Or, you can choose a meal that can be served at room temperature or cooled. If it is really hot then you might need to think about whether your desserts or meal items are going to just melt while waiting to be served. Of course, don’t forget about food safety as no one likes food poisoning. Items that are sitting out need to be properly cooled or heated to keep the items out of the danger zone.

3. A pretty setting – Eating outdoors can be a wonderful experience that can make any meal feel like a special occasion. Of course, if that meal is served in a not-so-ideal space and handed out wrapped in plastic it can feel more like a fast food experience than a special occasion. Take a few moments to make the meal special by taking care on how it is served. Even dressing up your picnic items a bit can make an ordinary meal feel extraordinary. When throwing parties in my back yard I often opt to cut flowers from my yard and use my basic dishware from the house. I leave my really nice dishware inside, but the basics can still feel dressed up when surrounded by nature! When I picnic I try to make things nicer by wrapping them in parchment paper and twine rather than just plastic baggies, or serving items on bamboo plates or reusable outdoor plastic plates instead of opting for paper.There are also a lot of great brands of really beautiful paper plates out there that can be perfect for making an outdoor meal feel special.

4. Think about pests – Nothing can ruin a meal faster than a few pests. Supply bug spray, plant bug repellent plants around your yard, or use some citronella candles to ward off pesky mosquitoes and flies. I found these adorable yellow tins with citronella candles at Grocery Outlet for less than $2 and bought a whole bunch of them for my outdoor parties. Not only do they look cute on the table, but they help ward off unwanted bugs!

Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for some super easy recipes that ANYONE can make for a great outdoor meal!

Enter to win a giveaway to Grocery Outlet

Grocery Outlet wants to help you serve a great outdoor (or indoor) meal and are sharing a $25 Gift Card with one lucky reader. Grocery Outlet operates 210+ stores in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Check out the Grocery Outlet website to find a store near you!